Simultaneously adjustable doubleended wrench



L. R. DINKLER 3,204,497

SIMULTANEOUSLY ADJUSTABLE DOUBLE-ENDED WRENCH Sept. 7, 1965 Filed Feb.7, 1964 0 V I, m

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United States Patent Office 3,204,497 Patented Sept. 7, 1965 3,204,497SIMULTANEOUSLY ADJUSTABLE DOUBLE- ENDED WRENCH Leonard Ronald Dinkler,Clearwater Beach, Fla., assignor to Technical Enterprises, Inc., Largo,Fla., a corporation of Florida Filed Feb. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 343,379Claims. (Cl. 81-77) The present invention is directed to wrenches, moreparticularly to those hand tools which are equipped with a. plurality ofjaws for manipulating more than one nut or bolt.

Among the wrenches of this character which have previously been known isone in which there were two sockets, one at each end, and means in thebody of the wrench for causing each of the sockets to move in its end toadjust to the size of the nut or bolt to be turned. Each socket wasmounted independently and required independent operating means, so that,in effect, there were two separate wrenches held in a single handle orbody. While this structure was operative, the unit was heavier than wasnecessary, which is burdensome to the operator working with the tool forprotracted periods. Because of the two mechanisms the cost of the wrenchwas greater than it should be. Also, there was no provision forreplacement of worn or broken elements or for replacing jaws with othersof different sizes, which would avoid the necessity for a large numberof separate wrenches and thus conserve expense and increase convenience.

The present invention is intended and adapted to overcome thedeficiencies and disadvantages of the prior art and to provide a wrenchof the above described character which is simple in construction andconvenient in use.

It is also among the objects of the invention to provide such astructure as to admit of ready assembly with a minimum of elements andat a reasonably low cost.

It is further among the objects of the invention to devise a structurewhich has flexibility in operation, and in which parts may be readilyreplaced, and in which several sizes of sockets may be quickly providedby ready replacement of a jaw by one of a size to accommodate adifferent size of nut or bolt.

In the practice of the invention, there is provided an elongated framehaving at its opposite ends angular formations constituting part of asocket or jaw. Within the central portion of the frame is an elongatedthreaded bar, and an internally threaded tube surrounds the threadedcentral portion of the bar. At each end of the bar is a movable jawwhich complements the angular formation and forms the rest of thesocket, such as square, hexagonal, and others such as are commonly used.

The sides of the frame are provided with covers, and one of these coversmay be an integral part of the frame, and the other cover is detachable.Said covers have elongated central openings slightly larger than thetube, and the diameter of the tube is somewhat larger than the thicknessof the frame, so that the tube extends beyond the frame and coverssufiiciently to enable it to be grasped and manipulated by the fingers.To facilitate operation, the surface of the tube is roughened orknurled.

Each of the movable jaws has an integral stem extending rearwardlytoward the bar and the end of the stem is in contact with thecorresponding end of the bar. The stem is fixed to the bar so that inusing the wrench, the movable jaw at one end of the wrench ismanipulated to grip a nut, while at the same time the other (unused) jawmoves rearwardly, but out of operative position, and vice versa.

The movable jaws may merely be in contact with the bar ends, in whichcase, when one of the sockets is being used, the other remainsstationary. In case it is necessary or desirable to remove a jaw, thecover on one face is removed, the jaw slipped out and a new one of thesame or different size is slipped into its place, and the cover isreplaced.

In the accompanying drawings constituting a part hereof and in whichlike reference characters indicate like parts,

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the improved wrench;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the wrench as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a section along line 4-4 of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 5 is a modified form of jaw adapted for use on a smaller nut.

The wrench comprises a generally elongated frame 1 having ends 2 and 3,preferably of different size. Ends 2 and 3 carry angular formations 4and 6, respectively,

which are adapted to cooperate with jaws 7- and 8 which carrycorresponding angular formations. Jaws 7 and 8 are slidable in the planeof frame 1 and are mounted on the ends of threaded bar 11. There, is anopening provided in the center of frame 1 into which the 'bar 11 fits.Surrounding the threaded portion of bar 11 is tube 10 carrying internalthreads engaging those on bar 11. The

diameter of tube 10 is somewhat larger than the depth of frame 5 so thata portion thereof projects beyond said frame and may be gripped readilyby the fingers and turned in the desired directions. A cover 9 isprovided on one surface of frame 1 in order to give access to the jaws 7and 8, the tube 10 and the bar 11.

This permits removal of one or more jaws and replacement thereof by jawsof different sizes.

In operating this device, the desired end of the wrench is slipped overthe particular nut to which it is to be applied and the appropriate jawis advanced by rotation of knurled tube 10 until contact with the nut.The wrench can then be used in the usual manner for either tightening orloosening. Obviously the jaw may be retracted by rotating the tube 10 ina direction opposite to that which caused it to advance. In FIG. 1 themost advanced position of jaw 7 is shown in dotted lines at 15 and thecorresponding position of jaw 8 is shown at 15.

Alternatively a smaller jaw may be inserted such as is shown in FIG. 5of the drawings. A jaw size such as 16 with a similar angular formation13 is compared with the standard jaw size 7 (in dotted lines) in FIG. 5.

There are numerous advantages in the present invention. Because of thelength of the tube there is a full bearing all along the rod in all ofits positions. This gives strength and rigidity to the jaws at all timesand greatly decreases the danger of breakage on heavy duty. Wear in thewrench is substantially reduced. The great length of applicants tubemakes possible a firm grip of the surface of the tube with the wholehand. The diameter of the tube being substantially greater than thethickness of the body further aids in obtaining a firm grip. Thepresence of solid metal all around the recess in the stem strengthensthe structure against lateral strains since the stem is in contact withnot only the frame, but also the covers which support it. The length ofthe tube keeps dirt out. Also, in applicants wrench, the threads areprotected so that damage thereto by accidental blows is prevented.

Although the invention has been described with a single specificexample, the invention is capable of being used in various forms andchanges in the details of the structure are included. For instance, thematerials of construction are those suitable for the type of work to beused. The shape and size of the wrench may be varied, and the relationof the elements may be such as would conform with good engineeringpractice. The covers may be held in position by means other than screws.Also,

the covers may be split transversely so that in order to remove one ofthe movable jaws, only an end portion of cover need be removed, and thatportion embracing the tube may remain permanently in place.

These and other changes may be made within the spirit of the invention,which is not to be limited except by the character of the claimsappended thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A wrench comprising an elongated substantially flat frame having twosides and two ends, said frame tapering to one of said ends, a cover oneach of said two sides, at least one of said covers being detachable,the inside of each of said ends constituting aone part of a two-partjaw, the other part of each said jaw having an inwardly extending stemin each of said ends and forming a polygon with said one part, a centralexternally threaded bar in said frame separate from said stem,longitudinal extensions on each end of said threaded bar, saidextensions being of substantially uniform thickness at cross-section ofsaid recess being capable of having its respective rod extension fittedtherein.

3. A wrench in accordance With claim 1, characterized in that said tubeis elongated and extends at least over one-third of the length of saidWrench.

4. A wrench in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that thediameter of said tube is substantially greater than the thickness ofsaid frame.

5. A wrench in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the outersurface of said tube is cylindrical and is roughened to providea fingergrip.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 547,534 10/95Barnett 81--77 559,901 5/96 Lovell 81-77 592,199 10/97 Fletcher 81771,140,018 5/15 Bean 8177 3,104,570 9/63 Haenni et a1.

FOREIGN PATENTS 160,008 3/21 Great Britain. 235,186 6/25 Great Britain.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Examiner.

1. A WRENCH COMPRISING AN ELONGATED SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT FRAME HAVING TWOSIDES AND TWO ENDS, SAID FRAME TAPERING TO ONE OF SAID ENDS, A COVER ONEACH OF SAID TWO SIDES, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID COVERS BEING DETACHABLE,THE INSIDE OF EACH OF SAID ENDS CONSTITUTING A ONE PART OF A TWO-PARTJAW, THE OTHER PART OF EACH SAID JAW HAVING AN INWARDLY EXTENDING STEMIN EACH OF SAID ENDS AND FORMING A POLYGON WITH SAID ONE PART, A CENTRALEXTERNALLY THREADED BAR IN SAID FRAME SEPARATE FROM SAID STEM,LONGITUDINAL EXTENSIONS ON EACH END OF SAID THREADED BAR, SAIDEXTENSIONS BEING OF SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM THICKNESS AT THEIR ENDS, ANINTERNALLY THREADED TUBE SURROUNDING SAID BAR AND IN THREADED ENGAGEMENTTHEREWITH, THE LENGTH OF SAID TUBE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THELENGTH OF SAID BAR, SAID COVERS HAVING CENTRAL OPENINGS COMMENSURATEWITH THE DIAMETER OF SAID TUBE, THE ENDS OF SAID EXTENSIONS BEING INOPERATIVE CONTACT WITH SAID STEMS.